Sticky Toffee Cake

One of my favourite desserts over here has to be Sticky Toffee Pudding. So rich and lovely, and incredibly moreish. And to think it was only a few years ago that I discovered it!!



We were holidaying up in the Lake District and I picked up one of the Sticky Toffee Puddings made by Cartnell and I was immediately bowled over. For a store bought pud, it was fabulous. So fabulous in fact that we ended up picking one up almost every day of our holiday and sitting back in our holiday cottage each night scarfing it down with delight!!



But what is a sticky toffee pudding . . . not much more than a tasty and moist date cake, topped with a luciously rich toffee sauce. They are incredibly yummy.



This cake is not quite as rich as a sticky toffee pudding, but my oh my it is delicious in it's own right.



The cake moreishly filled with dates and that toffee icing gilding the top is just to die for. You'll find yourself getting up in the middle of the night and raiding the larder for

just . . . one . . . more . . . piece.


Trust me. Would I lie to you? I think not!!




*Sticky Toffee Cake*
Makes 18 serving
Printable Recipe

Our favourite pudding in a cake!! This is a real winner!

8 ounces dried dates (1/2 pound)
300ml of water (1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda)
6 ounces soft light brown sugar (13 1/2 TBS)
4 ounces butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
2 large free range eggs, beaten
6 ounces self raising flour (1 1/3 cups)

For the icing:
6 TBS double cream (Whipping cream can be used)
3 ounces soft light brown sugar (scant 7 TBS)
1 ounce butter (2 TBS)
1 ounce icing sugar, sifted (3 1/2 TBS)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter and base line a shallow 11 by 7 inch baking tin. Set aside.

Cut each date into 3 or 4 pices. Place in a saucepan along with the water. Bring to the boil, and then boil uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the dates have softened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and set aside to cool.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the eggs and then fold in the cooled date mixture. Stir in the flour.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface. Bake for 35 minutes, until risen and just set. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

For the icing, gently heat the cream, sugar and butter together in a small pan until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and then cook, uncovered for 4 minutes, until golden. Do not stir. Leave to cool. When cold, beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Using the back of a wet spoon, spread it over the cake. Leave to set before cutting into 18 rectangles.